Those are your Top 5 Posts of 2014. Click on any post to see what the fuss is about.
Editor’s note: DNF’s or Did Not Finds are an important part of the geocaching experience, and maybe one of the most frustrating parts. The questions start to boil over, is it even here, why is the hint so vague, can’t anyone post a picture which offers a clue? WHY!?! But, as we learn through exploring, it’s not often the destination but the journey. Geocachers, Peanuts or Pretzels, show us that sometimes a DNF is the gift of a story, a voyage, a view and a sunset.
Recently, we took to the roads of New Zealand in an RV and wanted to do some Geocaching. So during our drive toward the west coast of the south island of New Zealand, I pulled out my GPS and found just the cache for us. Located along the coast, it had a lot of favorite points and according to our watches, we had just enough time to get there before dusk. So off we went!
Upon arrival, we parked our RV near GZ and started walking along the rocky coast. Eventually we came to a grassy opening, with the ocean on our right and a steep hill on our left. The cache was located up on top of the hill, but there was no visible trail. We decided that our best option was to climb up a small wash-out ravine.
After a tricky climb, we arrived at the top, which was a flat plateau. The Geocache was only 183 feet away. But we quickly realized that we had a problem. The entire area leading to the cache were full of giant briar bushes. These bushes were thigh high, with thorns 2-5 inches long…seriously! We’ve done our share of “bushwacking” before, but we had never seen anything like this before.
We tried many ways to get to the geocache, even trying to use giant sticks to make bridges or push down the bushes. But nothing worked. We were getting stabbed by the thorns and tearing our clothes. Ultimately, we realized that there was no way for us to get to the geocache. Disappointed with the thought of admitting defeat, we turned back toward the ocean just as the sun was beginning to set.
“Wow, look at the sunset from up here!” Liz said. And you know, she was right. It was a gorgeous sunset, and we had the best view perched up on this hill. No one was around, and we had this entire sunset to ourselves. So in the end, we decided thatwe would accept this DNF proudly. Because even though we didn’t find the cache, we had a fun adventure, and we were taken to this place that we had no idea existed. I looked over at Liz and said “this might have to be the best Geocache we never found.”
Thanks to Geocaching for taking us to another great place on our world travels. Sometimes, you don’t have to find the cache to have a great memory. #DNFPride
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQdUtw9vgIw]
In case any of these countries are still on your bucket list (or if you’re planning a return trip) check out this pocket dictionary of common phrases used in Geocaching. They’re perfect for starting or ending a fantastic log entry.
Take a virtual vacation and tour of some of Brazil’s best geocaches.
Obrigado pela Cache
(Thanks for the cache)
Encontrada
(Found)
Boa aventura
(Good adventure)
A minha primeira cache
(My first cache)
Check out one of Belgium’s most-favorited geocaches.
Bedankt voor de cache
(Dutch – Thanks for the cache)
Merci pour la cache
(French – Thanks for the cache)
Danke für den Cache
(German – Thanks for the cache)
Trouvé notre première cache en Belgique
(French – Found our first cache in Belgium)
If you’re heading to Greece, relax, soak up some sun, and check out this awesome multi-cache.
Ευχαριστώ για την κρυπτη
(Thanks for the cache)
Ευχαριστίες για τη μνήμη
(Thanks for the memory)
Ομορφο μερος
(Beautiful place)
Check out these five must-see geocaches from the birthplace of the sun.
Gracias por el cache
(Thanks for the cache)
Encontrado
(Found)
Muchos muggles
(Many muggles)
Excelente camuflaje
(Excellent camouflage)
What better way to celebrate geocaching love than featuring a geocache located at a (supposed) site of one of the greatest love stories ever told?
Grazie per la cache
(Thanks for the cache)
Trovato
(Found)
Decisamente merita un FP
(Definitely worth a favorite point)
Posto bellissimo
(Beautiful place)
Also known as the Land of a Thousand Islands, Croatia is home to these five unmissable geocaches.
Hvala za cache
(Thanks for the cache)
Pronađeno
(Found it)
Mjesto je prelijepo, a pogled fantastičan
(The location and view are fantastic)
Fun fact: “Thanks for the cache” in Klingon is ” Tlho’ vaD yoDjuH’a’So’ ”
As of today, you can earn six new country souvenirs for your Geocaching profile. Country souvenirs are virtual pieces of art that are displayed on your Geocaching profile page when you find a geocache in certain locations.
The new souvenirs are available for:
– Croatia
– Italy
– Belgium
– Brazil
– Greece
– Mexico
If you’ve already found a geocache in any of these countries, you’ll automatically receive the souvenir on your profile. Souvenirs that are currently available can be found here. You can view which ones you’ve already earned by checking out your Souvenirs on Geocaching.com.
Out of all the Geocaching Souvenirs you’ve earned, which one is your favorite? Tell us on the Geocaching Facebook page, then go out and earn these six new souvenirs!
(Hier kannst Du den Artikel auf deutsch lesen)
Officially known as the United Mexican States, did you know that Mexico:
…is the newest Geocaching Country Souvenir to be released this month? Yes it’s true! If the allure of white sandy beaches, ancient civilizations, rich culture, delicious food, and tequila wasn’t enough, now you can also earn a geocaching Souvenir for Mexico (this, in addition to Croatia, Italy, and three other new Souvenirs to be revealed soon). Souvenirs are virtual pieces of art that are displayed on your Geocaching profile page when you find a geocache in certain locations.
To wet your whiskers for this occasion, we’ve put together five must-see geocaches from the birthplace of the sun. Enjoy!
1. GC319DN – Lands End – EarthCache
We begin our journey on the verrrrrrrrrrrrry southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, a.k.a. Lands End Arch. Make sure you travel by boat to find this geocache, otherwise you’ll have come a long way for a DNF. Besides, it’s really the ideal way to view the Cabo San Lucas rock formation. There are several small beaches located in this area, and according to the geocache page, “…an entire Love Life-Cycle can run it’s course at Lands End. Fall in Love at Lover’s Beach, conceive children in Pirates Cave, and ends at Divorce Beach.”
2. GC3B5XW – Gringo Gulch Lighthouse – Traditional Geocache
Now onto the mainland, and the Mexican beach resort city of Puerto Vallarta. There you will find an old lighthouse from the 1930’s that has been decommissioned and restored as a landmark. It is now a navigational beacon and popular tourist attraction. And if you make the trek and climb to the top of the spiral staircase, the geocache page promises you’ll see, “…one of the finest views of Puerto Vallarta’s traditional red-tiled roofs, not to mention the entire bay, from Yelapa at its southernmost end to Punta De Mita at the northern tip.”
And here’s a little known fact: Puerto Vallarta was catapulted into international consciousness in 1963 when The Night of the Iguana directed by John Huston, was filmed there. This film starred Richard Burton, and he brought his soon-to-be-wife Elizabeth Taylor to the location during filming. Their relationship had recently become public knowledge and they were hounded by the press.
3. GC1DDE – Pyramid of the Sun – Virtual Geocache
Our next stop on the tour is located about 40 kilometers (25 mi) northeast of Mexico’s capital city, Mexico City. There you will find the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city known as Teotihuacan, The New World’s First Great City.
Enormous in size, at its zenith, Teotihuacan housed up to 200,000 residents and encompassed 12 square miles. The civilization which flourished at Teotihuacan was contemporary to that of ancient Rome. However, unlike that fallen city, Teo’s civilization lasted centuries beyond Rome’s demise. Remarkably, Teotihuacan seems to have sprung up out of nowhere, having no precedent in the ancient world. Archaeological evidence does indicate that the geographic area of Teotihuacan was inhabited by humans as early as 500 B.C. However, actual construction activities of the great city didn’t commence until 1 B.C. with the initial building phase of the site’s famous Pyramid of the Sun.
4. GC1JX5J – Ruinas Arqueologicas – Traditional Geocache
Do you like animals? We mean all types of animals – feathered, fuzzy, or scaled. If so, head on over to the Yucatan Peninsula and the surrounding grounds of the Ruinas Arqueologicas. Three Mayan Pyramids are located on this site with many native animals making this non-commercial piece of property their home as well. You’ll see plenty of birds, an occasional coatimundi, and quite a few iguanas. And oh yeah – look out for the snakes. 🙂
5. GC2NTRK – The Secret River – EarthCache
Our final destination is a D4/T4 full of stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and helictites. “What are those?” you may ask. Well, you’ll just have to visit this EarthCache to find out. The cache page describes this experience in alluring beauty:
Close your eyes. You hear nothing but silence and the faint sound of trickling water in the background. Imagine you are 80 feet below ground with your eyes open in the pitch black. You are one with Mother Earth. You are somewhere along an 800 meter stretch of a 14 kilometer underground river that originates in the interior of the peninsula and empties into the sea. The lights come back on. Look up and see thousands of jagged-edged stalactites pointing towards your head like the tips of poison Mayan arrows. It looks like you are either on another planet or on the set of a blockbuster Hollywood movie.
So there you have it, amigos. Five glorious reasons to travel to the wondrous land of Mexico and earn yourself yet another souvenir.
We will unveil two new Souvenirs each week until all SIX are officially released and awarded on Monday, December 22, 2014 to be proudly displayed on your profile. A list of of currently available Geocaching Souvenirs and even the ones you’ve already earned can be found on Geocaching.com.
Follow us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or right here on our Blog to find out which countries are next!
Have you found a geocache in Mexico? How was your adventure?
